Thomas w



Aug. 2o, 1929. T w VARLEY 1,725,432

IGNITION SYSTEM Filed June 1. 1928 JNVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

UNITED YSTATES 1,725,432 PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS W. VARLEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO VARLEY DUPLEX MAGNETCO., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

IGNITION SYSTEM.

Application filed .Tune 1, 1928.

This invention relates to those ignition systems i'or internalcombustion engines having a protective circuit which prevents thedischarge of a continuous uninterrupted current for any appreciablelength of time.

In my copending application Serial No. 225,433 tiled October 11, 1927, Ihave shown an ignition system in which the primary circuit includes aresistance element which may be the ballast resistance and in whichsystem I employ a time lag relay, having a time lag upon energizationonly, to control the continuity of the primary circuit to protect thesame against a continuous drain of uninterrupted current.

In accordance with this invention I provide an ignition system which isalso' protected against such undue discharges, against untimelysparking, and which requires no auxiliary resistance whatever in theprimary circuit. For this reason my present invention is particularlywell adapted to be applied to or used in conjunction with the more,

modern type of ignition coils which have their primary windings woundexteriorly of the secondary windings and which require no ballastresistance. A

As in my prior application I ind it convenient to utilize what may betermed a polarized time lag relay to actuate the protective circuit bycontrolling two pairs of contacts one pair in the primary circuit to actas a switch therein to control the continuity thereofand the other pairin a shunting circuit which shunts a winding of the ignition coil justprior to the opening of the primary circuit after a continuousuninterrupted current has flown therethrough for a predetermined lengthof time. In this shunting circuit I place a resistance which serves thepurpose oi' preventing a momentary short circuit across the battery asthe relay functions to actuate the two pairs of contacts. I may alsoinsert a cut-out switch in the system for eliminating the protectivefeatures and allowing the ignition system to function as a normalsystem.

A better understanding will be had from the detailed description whichrfollows with reference to the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagram of an ignition circuit embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the relay employed;

Fig. 3 is a plan of the relay employed, and

Serial No. 282,109.

Fig. 4 is a schematic circuit diagram of an ignition system embodyinf7my invention and including a cut-out switczh for eliminating theprotective features.

As illustrated, the ignition circuit includes a primary circuit and asecondary circuit the latter of which is not altered by my invention andcomprises the secondary Winding 1 having one end connected to theprimary winding under which it is wound and the other end connected byconductor 2 to the usual distributor head D which distributes the highpotential current to the various plugs one being indicated at 4. Theprimary circuit may be said to start'at the battery 5 one side of whichis grounded as at 6 and includes the usual manually operable switch 7primary winding 8, shown as being wound over the secondary winding,conductor 9, terminal 10 of insulated and yieldingly mounted contact bar11 on the relay R, contact 12, contact 13 normally engaging contact 12and carried by au insulated strip 14, said contacts serving as switchcontacts, conductor 15, breaker points 16 and 17 of the timer T, andback to ground at 18 thus completing the primary circuit.

The relay R may be any relay which is responsive to a continuous currentbut irresponsive to an interrupted current. I have shown what I term apolarized time lag relay similar to that disclosed in my copendingapplication N o. 225,433 as that type relay is particularly Well adaptedfor my purpose inasmuch as it has a time lag only upon enervgization andis responsive only to continuous uninterrupted current. The relay showncarries the insulated contact bar l1 which is yieldingly pulled upwardlyby means of spring 20 and which carries contact 12 in po- 9 sition toengage contact 13 carried by the insulated strip 14, contact 13 thuslimiting the upward movement of bar 11. Bar 11 also carries a contact 21for purposes to be described. The armature 22 is hinged to the core andis normally urged upwardly by means of a leaf spring 2'3. The armaturehas a contact 24 thereon directly over contact 21 which it engages onits downward movement prior to forcing the bar 11 down to open contacts12 and 13 and opening the primary circuit. The energizing coil of therelay is corinected at one end by conductor 25 to conductor 15 at anypoint on the ungrounded side of the timer, and at the other end byconductor 26 to the switch 7 upon the side thereof not connected to thebattery thus placing the energizing coil of the relay directly acrossthe battery through the timer whenever switch 7 and contacts 16 and 17of the timer are closed.

In order to prevent sparking' of the plugs due to an induced current inthe secondary circuit, when lthe primary circuit is broken, a circuit isprovided which shunts the primary winding of the ignition coil. Thiscircuit includes the two contacts 21 and 24 which are normally fopen butare closed by the action of the armature prior to the opening ofcontacts 12 and 13 and a resistance element 29. The circuit is asfollows: @ne end of the primary winding` 8, conductor 26, conductor 2S,shown as tapped to conductor 26, resistance 29, which may be wound upona suitable strip secured to the relay, relay core, relay armature,contact 24, contact 21, bar 11, terminal 10 and conductor 9 to the otherend of winding 8 at B. This provides an electrical shunt throughresistance 29 and contacts 21 and 24 across both ends of the primarywinding 3, the resistance preventing amomentary short circuit across thebattery when both pairs of relay contacts are closed.

As shown in Fig. 4 I may also employ a cut-out switch for eliminatingthe protective features entirely. For this purpose I insert a lpair ofswitch contacts 31 and 32 in conductor 26 arranged to be bridged by aswitch arm 33 which is mounted to alternately bridge a second pair ofcontacts 34 and 35. Contacts 34 and 35 are connected by suitable wires36and 37 to terminals B and C. If it is desired to cut out relay R and itsassociated circuit, switch arm can be thrown from contacts 31 and 32 tocontacts 34 and 35 thus opening the relay circuit 26 and connectingterminal B directly to terminal C.

The normal operation of the system is identical with the usual modernignition system, that is, with switch 7 closed andthe engine rotating soas to rotate the timer and intermittently open and close points 16 and17, current will flow through the primary circuit, induce a current inthe secondary circuit and cause sparking at the plugs. The relayalthough having its coil permanently in circuit will not respond to theintermittent current and will not function in any respect. Should theengine stop with points 16 and 17 closed while the switch 7 is closed, asteady uninterrupted current will flow through the primary' circuit andalso through the energizing coil of the relay to which current the relaywill respond. rIhe relay then functions first to close contacts 21 and24 fand estab- -lishes a shunt circuit around the primary winding of theignition coil as follows: contact 24, armature 22, core of the relay,re-

sistance 29, conductor 28, conductor 26, primary winding 8, conductor 9,terminal 10,

bar 11 and contact 21, thus eliminating the inductive action of theignition coil. The resistance 29 serves to prevent al momentary lowresistance short 'circuit across the battery when contacts 21 and 24 arefirst closed and before contacts 12 and 13 are opened. Further downwardmovement of the armature opens contacts 12 and 13 and thus opens theprimary circuit but leaves the energizing coil still connected acrossthe battery through conductor 26 and switch 7 at one vend and conductors25, 15 and points 16 and 17 on the other end.

If it is desired to omit the relay from Vthe circuit, switch arm 33 maybe rotated to bridge contacts 34 and 35 thus establishing 'a directcircuit between terminals B and C as in the usual system without goingthrough the relay contacts or energizing the relay and at the same timepositively opening the relay circuit. Y

Any of the present systems readily maybe modified to include thefeatures of my invention by merely making three connections, one to thebattery through the switch at A, one to the ignition coil at B, and oneto the timer at C and by inserting a relay of the type disclosed atthese connections in the manner described. For new installations therelay can be incorporated with the ignition coil in one housing and no`external connections need appear other than the usual terminals. y

t is obvious that minor changes may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as defined in ythe appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an ignition system,'a primary circuit including a battery, Aanignition coil, a normally closed switch, and a timer, Va relay operative`to control said switch, said relay having its energizing coilpermanently connected across a portion of the primary circuit, and acircuit connected across said ignition coil, said circuit including faresistance element andV a pair of normally open contacts actuated bysaid relay.

2. In an ignition system, a pri-mary circuit including a battery, anignition coil, a normally closed switch, and a timer, a relay operativ-eto actuate said switch, 'said relay having its energizing coilpermanently connected across Va portion of said primary current, and acircuit consisting of a resistance element and a pair of normally opencontacts in series connected across said ignition coil, one of saidcontacts being carried vby the relay armature and arranged to engage theother of said contacts upon energization of said relay prior to theopening of Vsaid fswitch thereby.

3. In an ignition system, a Vprimary circuit including, a battery, anignition coil, a normally closed switch, and a timer, r`a relay havingits energizing coil permanently connected across said battery throughsaid timer, and having its armature arranged to operate said switch, acircuit connected across the terminals of one winding of said ignitioncoil, said circuit including a pair of normally open contacts and aresistance element in series, said contacts being controlled by saidrelay.

4. In an ignition system, a primary circuit including a battery, anignition coil, a normally closed switch, and a timer, a polarized timelag relay operative to control said switch, said relay having itsenergizing coil permanently connected across a portion of said primarycircuit, and a circuit connected across said ignition coil said circuitincluding a resistance element in series with a pair of normally opencontacts actuated by said relay.

5. In an ignition system, a primary cirvcuit including, a battery, anignition coil, a normally closed switch, and a timer, a polarized timelag relay having its energizing coil permanently connected across saidbattery through said timer, and having its armature arranged to operatesaid switch, a circuit connected across the terminals of one winding ofsaid ignition coil, said circuit including a pair of normally opencontacts and a resistance element in series, said contacts beingcontrolled by said relay.

6. In an ignition system, a primar circuit including a battery, anignition coi a normally closed switch, and a timer, a relay operative tocontrol said switch, said relay having its energizing coil normallypermanently connected across a portion of the primary circuit, a circuitconnected across said ignition coil, said circuit including a resistanceelement and a pair of normally open contacts actuated by said relay, anda single cut-out switch for opening the energizing circuit of said relayand bridging said relay controlled switch.

7. In an ignition system, a primary circuit including a battery, anignition coil, a normally closed switch, and a timer, a relay having itsenergizing coil normally permanently connected across said batterythrough said timer, and having its armature arranged to operate saidswitch, a circuit connected across the terminals of one winding of saidignition coil, said circuit including a pair of normally open contactsand a resistance element in series, said contacts being controlled bysaid relay, and a single cut-out switch for opening the energizingcircuit of said relay and controlling a circuit shunting said resistanceand said relay operated switch.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my signature. Y

THOMAS W. VARLEY.

